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‘Hunts should resolve to stop killing hounds!’ say Hunt Saboteurs

HSA news release 31st December 2001

‘Hunts should resolve to stop killing hounds!’ say Hunt Saboteurs

The Hunt Saboteurs Association today called on all hunts to make a New Years Resolution to end the senseless slaughter of dogs used for hunting. It is common practice for hunts to put down hunting dogs after 6 or 7 seasons of hunting despite the fact that the animals could live naturally for around another 5 years, and each season many hounds are simply killed following injury or accident.

The call comes after the latest incident where a hound from the South Devon Foxhounds was shot on Boxing Day after breaking its leg, despite offers from hunt saboteurs present to take the animal off the hunt and deal with its veterinary treatment and recovery. The hunt met at Poundsgate on Dartmoor, near Newton Abbot, Devon on Boxing Day and hunt saboteurs were present with them throughout. One saboteur overheard the huntsman saying to another follower that one hound was to be taken back to the kennels and shot, and indeed this did happen, despite the offers from saboteurs to take the animal and deal with its recovery.

Dawn Preston, spokesperson for the Hunt Saboteurs Association, stated ‘This is a pitiful example of how the lives of the hounds are regarded as totally expendable by the hunt. It doesn’t matter to the hunting fraternity whether the animal concerned is a fox or hound – at the end of the day they use them for a purpose and have no concern for their welfare. Hunt saboteurs often witness such needless waste of life as they are actually in the field with the hunts when incidents occur. For example we have reported incidents in the past of hounds being killed on railways lines, drowning in reservoirs after falling through ice, and even an incident of a beagle being strangled to death after getting caught in a snare. Had we not been present such horrific incidents would pass by unheard of, as the hunts themselves certainly wouldn’t admit to them.’

She continued ‘The saboteurs made it clear in this latest incident that they were willing to take the hound from the hunt and deal with its treatment, recovery and re-homing – however the huntsman refused point blank to consider this, choosing instead to simply end the life of what was probably a loyal and quite young dog. We know that hunting hounds can successfully be re-homed – the hunts however will never admit this as it blows one of their emotive arguments against a hunt ban out of the water – that all hunting hounds would have to be destroyed once a ban is brought in. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – hunting hounds can be re-homed, and when the hunt ban comes we will endeavour to find each and every hound a new home. Unfortunately the hunts will never accept this fact, and instead will no doubt continue to reward the loyalty and dedication of their hounds with a bullet in the head.'